Hassan, Shaheen say GOP health bill hurts drug fight

CONCORD, N.H. – New Hampshire’s Democratic U.S. senators are warning the health care overhaul passed by the U.S. House will weaken the fight against the opioid crisis.

Sens. Jeanne Shaheen and Maggie Hassan will speak out against the Republican-backed legislation Monday. They’ll be joined by advocates for mental health and substance abuse care as well as the executive vice-president of the New Hampshire Hospital Association.

The health care law has made it through the U.S. House of Representatives but is likely to face significant challenges in the Senate.

The bill guts funding for Medicaid expansion, a program that insures roughly 50,000 people in New Hampshire. It provides substance abuse treatment coverage for thousands. The legislation also removes the requirement that insurers must cover behavioural health and substance abuse services.